


a little too ironic

by zapmolcuno



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Dialogue Heavy, Gen, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, Post-Crisis (DCU), Sad Ending, no abusive dads in this house btw i hate that retcon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-20 11:55:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30004506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zapmolcuno/pseuds/zapmolcuno
Summary: jason can't sleep - as usual, 'cause he hasn't been able to get some sleep for a week, now - so he eavesdrops on his parent's conversation.
Relationships: Catherine Todd & Jason Todd & Willis Todd, Catherine Todd/Willis Todd
Comments: 2
Kudos: 24





	a little too ironic

**Author's Note:**

> i used jason's original parents names - "trina" and "joseph"- bc i have a petty grudge against the other ones and i can do whatever i want, so, that's why the names don't match up, just thought i'd warn you. this is otherwise almost completely in line with jason's post-crisis origin though.

Technically, he should've been asleep, but Jason was having trouble sleeping - had been having trouble sleeping for a while, now - and had heard his dad unlocking the front door. It wasn't unusual for him to come home in the middle of the night, and it wasn't unusual for Jason to slip out of his room to try and hear what his parents might talk about.

When his dad first started working with villians, his mom had been furious. She tried to explain to him that he didn't have to, she had a job already, but his dad would always insist that she had to quit.

"Sex work is legitimate work, Joseph," She'd always say. 

"It's dangerous," His dad would reply. 

"And doing Two-Face's dirty work isn't?" His mom would fire back. 

Every argument ended in a stalemate of how they were worried about each other, but they couldn't quit, if they wanted to keep food on the table. For Jason. 

It started to make him feel guilty, even though he hadn't done anything but be born.

Nowadays, if his mom couldn't sleep, she'd set up in the kitchen with a book and a cup of chamomile tea and just wait. His dad would walk in, and they'd hardly speak a word to each other, already knowing what they would say. His dad would just press a soft kiss to her forehead, tell her she should really get some sleep, and head down to their bedroom. Tonight seemed like one of those nights, but when his dad opened the door, this time, his mom exclaimed in surprise.

"Joey! What happened?!"

"Trina..." His dad began.

"Don't 'Trina...' me. What _happened_ to you?"

A long-suffering sigh, and then - " _Batman_ showed up. Broke up the whole operation. Gave me this -" A shuffle of fabric. Jason assumed he was gesturing towards some injury or another... "And... told me to give up the boss's hideout location."

"...Did you?" She asked. He was silent, until she asked again, with a twinge of horror. "Damn it, Joseph, did you rat out your boss?!"

"Yes. Yes, I did, and I'm so sorry, Trina..."

His mom began to sob. Jason couldn't help but get watery eyes, too. "I knew it. I knew it would end like this. I...I can't _do_ this anymore..."

"Shh, baby, it's alright - it'll be okay. I won't let him find out. If that means I have to take on some of the tougher jobs for him, to - to prove my loyalty - then..."

"Then _what_? Then you'll get yourself killed, is what. Oh, god..." She dissolved back into sobs.

"Please, sweetheart. Dry your tears. I've got somethin' else to tell you about -"

They sat in silence for a minute, while his mom tried to calm herself down. "Just - just tell me." She finally said.

"Batman also gave me... this." Another shuffling of fabric. Jason couldn't infer what that meant.

"...H-huh? ...Wayne Enterprises?"

"He told me that I should apply."

"That's - that's..."

"I could hardly believe it either, but he said they were open to applicants with a criminal record..."

A job opportunity, then? Jason furrowed his brow. What does Batman care? ...Was that his sick way of apologizing for beating up his dad?

"...I can't do it, though."

"Why _on Earth_ not?" 

"'Cause if I quit on Two-Face now, it'll be a dead giveaway that it was me who ratted him out... I want _you_ to apply. "

There it was. Jason was sure that'd trigger the years old argument, and they'd shout until the break of dawn about the same old thing.

But... "You're right." She says, and then repeats a few times, between sniffles. "I'll... I'll think about it. For Jason's sake, I'll think about it..."

Always for Jason's sake...

"Thank you. And I'll be right behind you, too, soon as I get an opportunity to leave that doesn't make me look so suspicious."

She hummed an acknowledgement, and then they were quiet for a long, long while. Jason started to inch back towards his room.

"I'm tired, Joey. And I'm scared."

"Me too. I'm sorry."

Jason still couldn't sleep, after that.

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first really truly angsty piece. hope it was suitably heart breaking


End file.
